Herbert Smith Freehills is delighted to announce that  the firm has been honoured by the Ministry of Defence with one of the top awards in the 2020 Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

The Silver Award has been granted in recognition of Herbert Smith Freehills “outstanding support for our armed forces”. It acknowledges the firm as an organisation which proactively ensures colleagues across the business are educated about issues facing defence personnel and their families. It also focuses on the firm as an employer exhibiting forces-friendly credentials as part of any recruitment process.

Organisations nominated for the Silver Award, which is granted for a period of five years, were considered by a selection board and assessed against eight different criteria. In being successful Herbert Smith Freehills demonstrated its commitment to opening opportunities to military veterans and current Reservists, through the provision of 10 days additional leave for training exercises – double that required for the Silver Award.

Haig Tyler, Chief Information Officer at Herbert Smith Freehills and a former Flight Lieutenant, says: “The transition from a military to civilian career can be difficult for some individuals but no member of the armed forces community should be face disadvantage for wanting to pursue an alternative career. That is why we are proud to have built on our previous commitments to the armed forces and honoured to be amongst the latest cohort of organisations to achieve this level of recognition.”

The Employer Recognition Scheme was launched in 2014 by then Prime Minister, David Cameron, to recognise employer support for the wider principles of the Defence Armed Forces Covenant and the full spectrum of Defence personnel.  Herbert Smith Freehills achievement, as one of 38 organisations in London to be recognised, follows the firms previous success securing the Bronze Award and its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.

For a full list of Employer Recognition Scheme Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners click here.